


Sunrise

by Merakimi



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: College AU, Fluff, M/M, Missionary trip, More Fluff with a side of angst, Roommates, side sekai
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-09
Updated: 2018-05-09
Packaged: 2019-05-04 15:13:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14595792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merakimi/pseuds/Merakimi
Summary: Yifan and Tao may hardly know eachother's majors - but Yifan learns how to kill the bugs in the dorm and Tao knows how to soften Yifan's heart.





	Sunrise

Yifan gazed with a blank expression at the chinese landscape that blurred past, sniffing at the bus’ stifling heat. They had been in the same seats for four hours, and were still nowhere close to their class roadtrip destination. His room-mate groaned next to him, flinging his book to the seat behind them, earning a shout of pain. 

“I want to jump straight out of this hell-bus.” Tao sighed.

“I’d gladly help but the damn window doesn’t even open. Your best shot is the door.” Yifan mumbled.

“We have got to stop soon, at least five peoples’ bladders are bursting at this point.” Tao craned his neck to catch a glimpse at the driver.

“College funds are low, and there’s no town for another hour. They’ll probably let you off at some infested forest.”

“And the girls?”

“They can manage.”

“By the way you speak, you’d think you’re conducting this trip. Thank god it’s not the case; we’d be all running naked in the middle of nowhere.” Tao grumbled and Yifan cracked a grin at the idea.

“What about your book?”

“Terrible. The author should be sued for such bad style. Even I could throw shit on a paper and publish it, but my standards are far higher.” Tao inspected his fingernails.

Yifan chuckled. “You’re such a critic. When am I going to read your stuff?”

“When I can see your movies.” Tao shot back.

Yifan huffed and crossed his arms. “We’re dorm-mates who don’t even know each other’s majors and styles.”

“Doesn’t bother me as long as you wash the dishes.”

“Look, it’s your cousin.” Yifan diverged the conversation to a black and white figure that flashed by the bamboo on the side of the road. Tao narrowed his eyes and punched his room-mate’s arm. 

“Screw you. Pandas are still cute, especially when it’s me.” Tao rubbed his eyes.   
Yifan hummed in reply and continued looking at the green hills.

Tao heaved a long sigh, earning many pointed stares from their classmates. He huffed and rested his head on Yifan’s shoulder as though it were a pillow. 

“I’ll throw you off your seat.”

Tao laughed at the older’s threat. “You wish, Kris.”  
Yifan rolled his eyes at the nickname, and glanced down at Tao’s sleepy figure before turning to the window again.

The bus finally halted after three stops and twelve hours of driving. The students piled out, all groaning and stretching. Tao remained sleeping, even when Yifan tried to shake him brutally off his shoulder. The crowd inside the bus thinned until there were only a couple girls and the two room-mates. One of the girls giggled at the pair, and commented “Aw, such a cute couple.”

Tao opened a lazy eye at the comment and raised an eyebrow. “Of course, only someone in a relationship with Jihan would say such a thing. You must be desperate.” He pushed himself from Yifan, taking his time, eyeing the girl with apparent distaste. The girl pursed her lips. Yifan rolled his eyes and waved the others off. “You have better things to do than to gush over imaginary relationships. How about start with that eyeliner?” 

The group clicked their tongues in protest while others gasped and ran outside, mirrors in hand. “Can’t even take the slightest joke that would hurt their non-existent manly pride. No wonder nobody likes you two.” The first student leered.   
“No wonder your grades are flopping in designing, Minji; Who’s going to buy from a stylist who wears Fendi?” Tao said, hauling his Gucci bag over his shoulder as he stood at his full height in clad fashion.

“I’m not going to talk about designing with Gucci trash.” She whipped her hair and strode out, heels clicking as she went. 

Yifan smirked and followed Tao to the door, the two flicking their black sunglasses over their eyes as they stepped down with a celebrity ease.

“Are we mean?”Yifan sighed.

Tao laughed. “Please, it’s Minji. I was just giving the attention-seeker a little story for all her friends to gossip over in the dorm. She would thank me.” 

Yifan shook his head and grinned as they strode over for the room assignments.

“I swear to god if I’m stuck once again with some guy who doesn’t know the word ‘deodorant’, I’m sleeping outside.” Yifan grumbled.

“The attendant said that it was the same assignments as back home. You better keep your filthy laundry off my side.”

“Would you like me to list the amount of times when I came home at midnight only to trip over some goddamn gucci coat and wet towels?” 

Tao shook his head, clicking the key into door #12. “Three months and you still haven’t figured out where to step when entering. I expected better from a basketball player.”

“Three months and you still scream like a girl at the mere thought of a spider. I expected better from a wushu master.”

Tao growled and shoved his room-mate inside. “Whatever. You get to crush them.”

Yifan smirked and flung his bag on the nearest bed. The room smelled of bamboo, sparsely decorated except for a single japanese painting on the wall before a small window that stood with a view on the jungle. 

“Man, I need to move. Wanna come for a run? I think we still have an hour before we’re called to dinner.” 

Tao nodded. “I could use a jog. Your shoulder is really uncomfortable by the way.” 

Yifan clicked his tongue. “Serves you right, you could have slept on the floor you know.” 

They knotted their sneakers and warned the chef of their absence before heading out on the road.

The trees were thick and humid, the forest line dissolving into a thin mist on the horizon. It was a small camp in the middle of … for their college trip. It was a mission trip, and everybody in the class had to participate. The lodging seemed clean, for now, and they would be doing trips into nearby villages to help with construction, food and learning cultures. Yifan figured they might as well get a general feel of the area by a nice jog first. 

“Two months here… It seems nice.” Yifan said, keeping a steady pace with Tao by his side. They were the only ones out on a long road to which the destination was unknown. 

Tao nodded and said nothing. Steady silence settled between their short breaths and quick-paced footsteps. 

They ran for an estimated time of thirty minutes, and arrived at the lodge sweating. “Looks like you could use the knowledge of the word ‘deodorant’” Tao wrinkled his nose at his room-mate. 

Yifan scoffed “Looks like we both need it. I call the shower first, though. Stand outside so you don’t stink up the room.” 

Before Tao could protest, Yifan stripped his shirt, his body gleaming with persperation. Tao bit his lip when Yifan’s muscles flexed as he reached for his clothes to change and a towel. Ignoring his room-mate’s stare, Yifan rushed out to the showers down the hall, in half-naked glory.

“Damn…” Tao muttered, gulping down a bottle of water as the door shut.

Yifan, in the corridor, was smirking.

 

/

The class trouped through to the next village, wearing only backpacks with a single change of clothes for an entire week. 

Humidity soaked their shirts and cut their breathing as they arrived in a middle of small houses and dusty streets.

They were assigned different posts with different teams of three. Tao was with Baekhyun and Luhan, both small with bright smiles, whereas Kris was with Sehun and Jongin, both tall and cold. 

“Hi Tao! Let’s head over to our first house with some food.” Baekhyun grinned, and skipped over to a tiny house, arms charged with a surprisingly heavy load. 

Tao and Luhan followed behind, whining about the climate. 

Kris watched his room-mate leave without granting a second glance, and turned to his co-workers. “Hey, grab some bandages and let’s go to the infirmary.” Jongin nodded towards the bags, and the three of them immediately made a dash for the heaviest load, a silent urge to prove themselves as top dog with their height and muscles. 

They all barged into the dark room, where a couple patients were sitting on a carpeted floor, the air heavy with incense and pungent herbs. 

An old woman, lines of wrinkled wisdom etched on her serious expression and long silver hair silently beckoned them closer to a man lying half-naked, beads of sweat and blood dying his chest. The boys inhaled sharply, bowed, and tiptoed over. 

They helped the woman bandage the patient, Yifan and Jongin were dabbing healing oils on the wound while Sehun steadily tightened the wrap. Various people came and went for hours, asking for good fortunes and advice. 

Suddenly, the door flew open, bringing the storm of a frantic Tao carrying a small child. 

“Someone help, she’s fainted due to lack of sugar and we’re all out. She was singing and… just stopped. Please do something!” Tao cried out and his eyes were wide and glassy. He placed the girl on the second bed, desperate eyes on the old woman. He hadn’t seen his three classmates. Sehun went to the child’s side, and pressed her forehead. The boy didn’t say anything, merely glanced at Jongin and furrowed his brows.

“She’s got a fever. She needs to stay here for a few days. We’ll give her remedies while you go get the stock.” Jongin’s soft voice broke the silence.

“I didn’t ask you.” Tao snapped at the boy.

Jongin’s lip curled in disgust and Yifan cut in sharply before he could speak. “Shut up Tao. Sehun doesn’t speak, and Jongin is the only one who understands him oddly enough.”   
Tao held his glare before breaking away and saying in a small voice “I’m sorry. Just help her.” 

Jongin grumbled and roughly pushed the boy to tend to the patient. Tao limply fell to the side, pale. Yifan looked at his room-mate, expression puzzled. He had never seen the latter so afraid - weak even. Yifan shook his head and rushed to help his team. Tao stared at the child’s frail body as he tasted a tear on his tongue and the girl tasted tea on her lips.

//

Tao climbed into bed, rays of moonlight filtering through the thick forest and windowpane. Yifan appeared sleeping as Tao slid quietly under the covers. He had been out hours past curfew in the company of the drizzled trees. 

“Are you okay?” 

Tao started at the soft voice that smashed the silence.  
He gulped at Yifan’s question.

“No.” he whispered. 

“Is it the girl?”

Tao nodded.

Yifan fell silent again, although his unsaid question screamed in the air.   
Tao’s mouth opened without consent and he spilled it all.

“She was so happy. She would sing like everything was fine, like her ribs weren't being starved, like she didn’t live in a stupid mudhole, like the sky wasn’t eternally grey. She talked like a humble princess and danced as though her footsteps were puddles of sunlight. When I asked if she was hungry, she gave me a bright smile and pointed me towards the other children. Whenever she saw me, she would run and jump into my arms and call me brother. She tugged my sleeve for a piggy-back ride and squealed in delight as she made me chase after her around the house. She looked so much like her… my sister…”

Tao’s voice cracked and he tightened his lips to imprison a sob. Yifan had gotten out of bed, unnoticed by Tao’s confession, to put a gentle hand on his room-mate’s shoulder. Tao had his hand over his mouth, eyes glistening with painful sadness in the silver light.   
Yifan’s words had evaporated in shock at his room-mate’s talk. It was now no mystery why the latter was majoring in litterature; the best writers are those who combine the essence of words and the blood of personal tragedy. And here, Tao had bled his heart out to Yifan, bleeding until there was no liquid to bathe the sharp memories.

“I miss her so much…” Tao whispered and a small sob slipped between the bars.   
Yifan bit his lip and wrapped his arms around the other; his clumsy attempt at comfort. Tao fell silent again before hesitantly holding onto the older. Yifan felt his heart shatter as the sobs came again, his shirt cold with tears. 

“I promise she’ll get better.”

Tao shook his head against Yifan’s chest. “If I can’t see my sister then I at least need her. She has to be alright.” 

//

The next morning Tao opened his eyes to an empty bed. He would have thought nothing had happened if it weren’t for the faint tear stains on the sheets. He let out a shaky breath and ran a hand through his hair. 

“Hey, we have to leave in ten minutes. Get dressed and grab some food for yourself.” Yifan said from the bathroom between mouthfuls of toothpaste. Tao remained in bed until a handful of clothes hit him in the face. 

“Get up, lazy ass.” 

Tao groaned and snatched the clothes, shooting daggers at his room-mate. Any sentimentality from the night before had seemed to vanish like smoke. Once he was dressed, he walked towards the door where Yifan was waiting. He was going to leave without a second glance, but a hand on his arm stopped him.

“It’ll be alright.” Yifan’s voice was gentle, eyes honest.

Tao swallowed and nodded, before the two left in silence.

/

Tao rushed to the bedside to hold the girl’s frail hand. “Baozi…” 

She managed a faint smile at Tao’s voice. “Taozi... How are you?”

Tao’s eyes glazed with tears. “Silly girl… I’m fine. Are you feeling any better?”

She nodded. “I’m a big girl.”

He chuckled and placed a kiss on her forehead. Her small grin was soon broken by a fit of coughing. Tao shouted for Sehun, who came with another tea.   
As she sipped carefully, Tao felt the girl’s cheeks. “Are you warm enough?”

She nodded again but he doesn’t believe her. 

Luhan burst inside, a bag of food falling from his arms. He cursed, and moved to pick it up, but a tall figure beat him to it. Sehun doesn’t spare him a glance and simply placed the food on a table before returning to grounding herbs. Luhan mutters a thank you, eyes trained on Sehun’s lanky figure. “Luhan. Food. Here. Now.” Yifan scolded. Luhan rushed over and the three immediately got to work on opening food bars. Tao fed her slowly, snapping at anyone else who dared touch her besides Sehun.

Yifan watched as Tao’s eyes turned to small crescent moons, bright teeth flashing, melodious laughter illuminating the room as he played with the girl’s giggles. He scrunched his nose and pulled faces to please her, fiddling with the girl’s tiny hands. It was only when she cried for an aegyo show when Tao faltered. 

Yifan burst into laughter from across the room, and barely missed a shoe being thrown by his room-mate. Tao shot daggers at Yifan before turning to the child with a smile. He hesitated for several seconds before sighing. 

He moved his hands and began singing with a small school-girl’s voice with big eyes. She squealed in delight and clapped her hands. Once he had finished she cried for an encore. “Again agaiiin!!” 

Tao’s face fell and he looked around in panic. Yifan was biting his lip, clearly holding back a fit of laughter. Tao’s eyes landed on a small wooden horse on the floor, and he picked it up, almost shoving it into her arms. “Here, why don’t we play horsey instead?”

They had to leave the house at dusk to let the patients rest. They all parted ways dragging their feet to the dorms. Tao collapsed on the bed, groaning. “My back is killing me.” He whined as he sat up, arms flailing to reach behind him. Kris shook his head. “I’ll crack it for you. Get on the floor.” He placed his bag on a chair and eyed Tao expectantly. 

Tao narrowed his eyes. “You’re gonna break it.”

Yifan shook his head. “I’m not interested in getting my ass kicked by the teacher and your five-year-old protection squad.”   
Tao grinned and walked over to lie on a towel on the floor. Yifan stopped him, snapping his fingers. “Shirt. Off.”   
Tao rolled his eyes and peeled off his shirt, revealing a surprisingly toned body. Kris sucked in a quick breath as Tao moved to lie on the floor, a mischievous grin dancing on his lips.

He shrieked as soon as his chest touched the soaked fabric. “You little-” He tried to turn to hit his room-mate, but Yifan was already holding him down by straddling his waist. Yifan chuckled and held Tao closer to the wet towel, his hands flat on the latter’s back. Tao struggled before finally giving up.   
“Fuck you.” He huffed. 

Yifan grinned, “I won’t break your back. Still doesn’t mean I can’t have some fun.”

Yifan then concentrated himself on the massage. Placing his two hands like mirrors on Tao’s lower back, he kneaded his way up. The boy’s skin was smooth and his muscles bulged moderately in all the right places. 

Kris frowned,“Damn you’re tight.” 

“Kinky, are we?”

“No, it just means your back is shit.”

“If I wanted shade I would have gone under a tree.”

“You just need to relax more.”

“ _You_ try carrying a five year old on a two mile piggy-back ride.”

“Been there, done that - wouldn’t do it again. Now shut it, I can’t do anything well if you’re talking.”

Tao scoffed but fell silent. Yifan watched his hands slide and dig into the muscular structure, trailing up the sides and kneading down his spine. His fingers tingled as Tao sighed when he dug his palms into his vertebres. Tao’s eyes were closed as he relished in the warmth in Yifan’s palms that massaged his cold back.

“Okay now take a deep breath and slowly exhale.”   
Tao did as he was told. His ribcage rose with the inhale and Kris’ hands pressed slowly harder with the exhale until he was sure he was crushing his back. He heard Tao wheeze and finally a cracking sound from his spine. He smiled triumphantly and removed his hands to allow Tao to catch his breath. 

“You almost made me eat the damn towel.”

“But it worked.”

Tao nodded.

“Alright, two more.” 

Tao let out something between a whine and a moan, causing Kris to sharply dig his nails into his side. “Inhale.” He ordered, and the process was successful with a second round of crunching. 

“Okay, okay I’m good. You did great. Let me go.” Tao gasped and began to push himself up, arms flexing impossibly as he did so. Kris huffed and jumped a trifle too sexually onto his room-mate, seeing as he was still straddling the latter’s lower back. Tao flopped back to the floor and Kris’ eyes widened at the slight consequence of the action inside him. Tao bit his lip as he couldn’t help but feel Kris against him. 

“Did you just hump me.”  
Kris choked on air, “God no; you were going to throw me on the floor. Plus, whether you like it or not, it’s a massage rule not to leave straight after cracking half your bones. I’ll just smooth things out.”

Tao grumbled but couldn’t move so he just let Kris ease his tense muscles, ignoring how good it felt. 

Kris kneaded the latter’s shoulders before trailing down to squeeze Tao’s arms which were also tense, trying to forget how beautifully toned they were. 

He finished without a word and rolled off. Tao immediately opened his eyes at the loss of warmth and seemed shocked by the sticky cold towel beneath him.

He grumbled as he moved to stretch in a yoga pose. Kris turned from the sight of Tao’s ass poised in the air, torso muscles gleaming.

“Thanks. You’re actually not bad.”

Yifan clicked his tongue and went to pick up a book on his bed. "I know. You should stretch more - it really helps to loosen things up."

Tao shrugs with an innocent grin. "Why stretch when you have a room-mate to give you massages whenever you want?" 

"Because if you start asking me to crack your back every week, I might just come up with something more torterous than a wet towel."

"Whatever you say, tough guy." Tao hums and flops down on his bed. He still hasn't bothered to put his shirt back on and Yifan is halfway through considering throwing it on him when he shifts and stretches his torso, abs flexing like a dream out of the strained corner of Yifan's vision. He curses and shoves his nose in his book. He hears Tao chuckle from the other side of the room. Rude.

/

The sun's warmth caressed the damp shadows that stretched across the bamboo structures at Yifan's feet. He was fiddling with some strange herbs on the steps outside the infirmary, when Tao stepped out.

“Hungry?” Yifan asked, eyes still fixed on his small leaves.

“Famished.” Tao slumped on the steps next to him.

“Same.”

Neither of them moved.

“Can I ask you something?” Yifan furrowed his brows and his hands slowed.

“As long as it isn’t something that’ll have me awake at three in the morning with existential questions, shoot.” Tao propped himself on his elbows, his head lolling to the side in interest.

“What happened to your sister?”

The blood drained from Tao’s face. When Yifan dared turn his head to witness Tao’s silence, his sassy room-mate seemed to have died inside. 

Yifan opened his mouth to rush an apology, but Tao’s lips moved first.

“She died. She was six years old.” Tao’s lower lip quivered but his expression was blank, “She was a good artist. Her favorite subjects were animals. I had bought her her own sketchbook and colored pencils for her birthday. She fell really ill. Died with a half-finished sketch of a butterfly in her hand. The page… It was…” Tao’s voice faltered, “splattered with blood. Her eyes were open. Her cheek was cold.” 

Yifan’s face was twisted in pain. His hand was trembling over his mouth. Salted liquid slid on his tongue. 

“Tao… shit…” 

Tao didn’t miss the way his friend’s voice cracked. He clenched his jaw, swallowed thickly, and stood. “That’s why I’m a cold bitch, who’s oddly overprotective of some kid he just met three days ago. I see too much of my sister in her, and… I’m afraid of her having the same fate. I’m scared of suffering again. Anyways, I’m going to eat.” 

Tao finally turned away from his room-mate, hiding the tears that had begun to flood his vision, and walked away. Yifan sat on the steps, watching his shadow lengthen out of the corner of his eye, his gaze still trained on the spot where Tao’s silhouette had disappeared. The herbs lay scattered on the ground, their fragrance cold.

/

Jongin stroked the sleeping girl’s hair. “I wonder why Tao is so protective of her. It’s been four days. He acts like she’s his own child or something…” His thoughts mumbled out loud caught Yifan’s attention.

“People can be naturally drawn to others. Some things don’t need to be explained.”

“Everything has an explanation. Sometimes, it’s just hidden.”

Yifan’s eyes widened in shock. Sehun, the tall, cold, formerly presumed mute boy, had spoken. Without sparing them a glance, his opinion had been expressed with perfect ease as he continued rearranging the shelf next to them. Jongin watched Yifan’s reaction with a smirk. Sehun raised his gaze to Yifan. “Just because I don’t bother talking to you and your bitchy friend doesn’t mean I don’t have a tongue.” He cocked his head, indifferent. Yifan gulped and shook his head.

“You’re right about the explanations thing.” 

“I know.”

With that, Sehun left Yifan speechless. “He’s special.” Jongin murmured with a slight smile. Yifan agreed with a small nod, then shook his head, then sighed. 

“But what about Tao?”

“He’s special.”

The two shared a small smile before returning to the patient.

//

The missionary trip ended far too soon, and the shadows dimmed far too late. The rest of the month blurred by in rowdy card games with patients of all ages and students of all differences, dimmed laughter in dripping candlelight, late night conversations in hushed silence filtering between stalks of moonlit bamboo. 

Tao’s smile had grown brighter with every passing day his favorite patient grew healthier. Sehun might have even shed a slice of his cool skin when Yifan came in with warm food for him when the weather was particularly dreary. Yifan hadn’t missed the way Jongin’s hand had slipped gently on the small of Sehun’s back as he indulged in the food with a mumbled “thanks”. 

Yifan folded his last shirt as Tao made a mess in the bathroom trying to find his toothbrush. “I swear to god some alien must’ve just-”

“Abducted it into your underwear.” Yifan said, folding his shirt which lay next to a stray toothbrush tangled in a mess of boxers. Tao huffed and joined Yifan in packing. “I can’t wait to get back to my bed and eat actual food.” 

“I can’t wait to get back to a place where I don’t have to kill a cockroach every two hours because of your screaming-ass.”   
Tao gave him a sheepish smile. Yifan zipped his bag.

“Will you miss her?” 

Yifan’s questions were always something to tug Tao’s heartstrings. His deep voice, laced with a hint of concern, his speciality at asking them at the most offset times. Tao bit his lip, but to his own surprise, he smiled. “Yeah. But she’s better now. I’ll never forget her, but it won’t hurt or stress me anymore. Thank god - I don’t think my mental health could’ve handled more pain.” 

Yifan huffed a laugh and nodded. 

Tao looked at him through strands of disheveled hair. His flawless skin turned a slight shade of peach. “Thanks. For, being there.”

A smile lined Yifan’s lips, the light reflecting in his amber eyes in the most entrancing way. “Anytime. I guess I had to step past the identity of ‘the bug-killing room-mate’.” Tao laughed beautifully. Another second, and Tao had his arms wrapped delicately around the elder. Yifan hesitated, but ended up in reciprocating. He couldn’t ignore Tao’s cheek on his neck, the warmth of his palms on his back. “Thanks.” His lips were too close to his cheek, too close, too right. Yifan grinned and gave Tao a gentle squeeze before the two let go. “Anytime.”

The bus ride back home wasn’t as suffocatingly hot as the first. They rode at sunset, Yifan contemplating the shock of colors that streaked the sky in warm beauty, Tao reading a book of poetry by his side. “When can I write like that?” Tao broke the silence by his expected groan. 

“It’s amazing how even when reading something you love you still manage to whine about it.”  
“I get it from Chen.”

Yifan grinned at the reference to Tao’s loud best friend who was majoring in singing and whining. 

“Read me a passage.”

Tao’s soft voice filled Yifan’s senses with words of fluid poetry, with colors of blazing red and gentle purple. Tao read the small haikus, the long verses, until only the pale moonlight caressed the paper in a night of stars. Yifan moved to slowly close the book with one large hand. “The day you write like that, I’ll be expecting a full thanks of dedication to Wu Yifan in the prologue.”

Tao rolled his eyes and flicked the elder’s hair. “For what? Killing the bugs in my dorm?” 

“Yeah. Also for having to put up with your sarcastic ass for an entire four years. That deserves a medal.”

Tao yawned and leaned over to tuck the book in the space between Yifan and the window. “Sure. I’ll get right to it. Would you like a massage as well?” He winked. 

Yifan scoffed, “No way in hell. You’d just get revenge on me for crunching half your bones on a wet towel. I’m good with the prologue dedication.” Tao hummed and threw a pillow against the window before leaning his back against it, sitting on Yifan’s lap. 

“Tao, you litterally have an entire two free seats right next to you.”

“Your lap is more comfortable than your shoulder. And besides, I keep falling off the seats.” He shrugged, closing his eyes. Yifan shifted, awkwardly holding Tao’s waist so as to not disturb him. He muttered a curse under his breath. “Goddamit Tao, why are you like this.” 

The latter laughed, sliding to lean a little more on Yifan’s chest. His lips were again far too close to Yifan’s ear. “Shut up, you’re too nice and you know it.”

Yifan gritted his teeth because he knew he was right. He raised his arms, trying to figure out what to do with them without touching Tao. His room-mate opened a lazy eye and grinned at his struggle. He reached for the elder’s hands and pulled them to wrap around his slim waist. Yifan resisted at first, his manly pride shoving itself in his face. 

“What are you-”

“It’s night. Nobody’s watching. Now, shut up and let me sleep.” Tao breathed on his neck, arms relaxed on Yifan’s. Yifan bit his lip. One part of him wanted to jump out of the window, his steadily increasing heartbeat not the most reassuring sign. Another part of him wanted to bathe in Tao’s warmth, the soft breaths on the nape of his neck, the feel of the toned body, small in his arms. 

He ended up huffing in annoyance and closing his eyes. Tao’s lips drew into a smile against Yifan’s skin when he felt his room-mate rubbing soft circles on his hips with his thumbs. When Tao twitched in his sleep, he curled closer to the elder’s chest, feeling the strong arms holding him in warm security. 

The bus finally stopped at midnight, fluorescent lights flickering on the sleeping pair. Neither wanted to move, really. Not even when a certain Minyong passed them with a victorious smirk on her painted lips, which Yifan placidly responded to with a certain telltale finger. 

Once they eventually stumbled into their dorms again, Yifan sighed and collapsed on his bed. Tao moved to sleep in his own, when his room-mate’s voice - thick with sleeping husk - stopped him. “Come sleep with me. I want to see if I’m more comfortable than the bed too.” 

Tao’s blood rushed to his neck. Yifan never failed to surprise him. “I don’t know man, at least buy me dinner first.” Tao scoffed, flopping beside his room-mate. Yifan brushed off the remark, slinging an arm around the latter’s waist. His breath tickled Tao’s ear as he grinned. 

“I was there for you when you cried. And I’ll buy you food tomorrow. I think I deserve a little something.” Tao fought back the blush that threatened to assault his cheeks and opted for a little thrill. He nudged closer to the latter, not missing the way his breath hitched. “I suppose you do.” He mumbled, letting his lips linger on Yifan’s cheek, tracing circles on his chest. 

“Goodnight Tao.” 

“Goodnight Yifan.”

Yifan woke up the next morning with his beautiful room-mate soft in his arms, a delicate kiss on his forehead, a soft smile on his lips.

~

Their relationship didn't change drastically after the trip: Yifan still kills the bugs in the cheap dorm room and Tao still whines about other books or even his own damned writer's block. Yet somehow, Yifan was now there to pull a frowning Tao into his lap to smile into his hair, breathe reassurance and warmth into Tao's clouded mind. Or even when Yifan himself came back from studying too much - eyes hardly open, black circles of exhaustion underneath - Tao would immediately take care of helping him into bed, letting him lean on him, peppering small kisses on his cheek just for the hint of a golden smile again. 

Their day was the same, yet everything seemed a little brighter now, a little warmer - Tao thinks with a soft heart as the morning sun rises over the rooftops and threads its rays across the room. Yifan's hands are warm on his side, fingers slowly circling the skin on his stomach. Tao mumbles a good morning and Yifan hums, gently pulls him to face him, placing a kiss on his collarbones, a smile on his lips even with closed eyes. He nuzzles Tao's hair, wraps an arm around his waist, and the sun finally reaches them - the rumpled sheets and discarded papers - but Tao then realises with a smile, that he doesn't need the sun to brighten his day as long as there's Yifan sweet under his fingertips and warm to his side.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! Thank you for reading, I hope you liked it! I wrote this a while back as a fluffy oneshot, so I hope it fit your pleasing ^-^ feel free to comment of course <3  
> (any twitter users are always awesome to talk with! hmu at @merakijongdae ;)


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